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lines at the pumps, 2-3 cars long.

Posted By: why? on 2005-08-30
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Photos in today's NYPost show pumps in Brooklyn up over 3.00 a gallon, way over! nm
m
How long to get consistency in lines?

I have been trying to use an Expander for 2 years. My speed is between 150-200 lines per hour, 1100 to 1500 per shift, depending on the docs and type of report. None of the docs seem to say the same thing every time so I've been having a hard time. I have a slew of normals but must change them all the time.


I have hundreds of words and phrases in my expander, but I can't remember half of them or how they are abbreviated. The advisory gives me enough suggestions but I have to stop and chose one if I don't remember the number immediately.


I have the book Saving Keystrokes but part of my problem is that I'm not consistent on using abbreviations.  My goal is 250-300 lph consistently. How can I achieve this without jepordizing the quality of my reports?


Don't say use macros. I have no idea how. I've been reading up on everything I can find about them, but it goes in one ear and out the other. I just can't figure them out anymore (used to a decade ago).


Any ideas or help here?


Long lines . . . better to charge

How long does it take you to type 1200 lines?

On a normal good day it takes me about 5 hours, somedays I just can't stay focused so it takes longer.  I'm still debating about getting an Expander so just wanted to see how long it took people on average. 


I'll bet she meant that's how long the lines are before it returns. nm
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Sleeping all day long while my little fantasy slave does my lines LOL :-)
Wow... you vacuum every day? Dang, I'd never even get 50 lines done a day if I did that. I maintain and clean seriously on my one day off, but... hats off to you, sister!
cars
What colors ....Any corvette is great but that stang is it
cars
I leased for 3 years and then bought a brand new one! Love the concept, that way I knew exactly what i wanted to buy!
Dog chasing cars
I have a little pomeranian. She is only little in size. In her doggy mind, she is a big bag dog and no car is too big for her. In the car, she will bark at big trucks, I am talking semi's like they better not mess with her. It is really funny to see. She also barks at her reflection. I sometimes feel like barking at my reflection too, so that we have in common. Your dog sounds great.
Cars on EBAY
I live in Georgia and already, drowned cars from Lousiana and Miss. are showing up as "good buys". Beware, once these cars are cleaned up, you will NEVER know they've been submarines in earlier lives. On the other hand, my son bought an awsome Audi out of Tampa, but that was before the hurricaines.
teens and New Cars

Yes, there are probably a few nice new cars the "sweet 16's" had given to them, more so probably out of the guilt the parents felt for not spending time with them or the parents need to "keep up" their own status.  My niece was one of those....daddy bought his little girl anything she snapped her fingers for, she is 23, never went to college or held a job, but has a masters degree in partying and shopping. It's finally wearing thin on ol Pops and he gripes and complains but he set the standard the first time he gave in.  Kids may not like you right now, but they will appreciate it more so when it's their hard earned money and feel a sense of accomplishment.


On the other hand, my kid who is 20, is still driving a used car and he now knows the benefit of it after 3-4, 5...can't even remember the count minor fender benders, no injuries except to his pride!


Teens are just learning how to drive, insist of driving with the damn cell phones to their ears and minds on anything but the roads, and as I put it, why take something brand new and bang it up?  Save it till you have more experience, more of your own money and your insurance rates are lower.  If my kid and his friends had stock in Maaco, they'd be young millionaires by now!


Remind her of that old saying, which I heard a zillion years ago when I was a teen "people in h _ _ _ want ice water but they don't always get it


Story about cars

My ex and I were divorced when my son was 11.  We lived in the country so in order for my son to even get a job, he needed a vehicle.  I bought him a used truck for about $2,000 which was all I could afford.  It was a stick and he had a lot of trouble driving it.  He was responsible for the gas and the insurance.  When he graduated from high school, his dad gave him a card with a professionally made gift certificate in it that said "Good for one vehicle of choice."  He even had it notorized and signed by an employee of a car dealer.  He gave him the card at his graduation party in front of everyone so he (the dad) could look important.  After the party, he called my son to tell him that that did not mean he could go out and buy a Corvette or anything like that.  To make a long story short, when it came time for my son to get his car, he wasn't allowed to pick anything that he wanted, his dad decided on the vehicle, color, extras etc.   I do not think we owe are kids a car though, just could not help sharing my story. 


hybrid cars--anyone have one?

I'm looking to purchase a new car soon and being as how gas is already at $3 per gallon where I live, I'm certainly wanting to get something economical.  I've been doing some research on the hybrid cars and am particularly interested in the Toyota Prius, as that one seems to be the best according to what I've found.


I'm just curious....Do any of you MTs have a hybrid vehicle and/or know someone personally who does?  If so, do you like it?


rental cars
I am in Arizona and I usually have my best luck with Avis. Hey where are you in Arizona??
those cars are so cute
nm
So do you do that a lot? You own a big house? Have nice cars?
what-ever..big money my butt.
Wow! I just looked outside to see five cop cars parked
in front of my house.  The one neighbor's teenager moved out, so I know it's not that.  I wonder what's going down?  Should I be ducking?  LOL
No way, my DD has JUST started going in cars w/boyfriend. nm
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i use GM mastercard w/rebates on new cars.
We have saved something like $8000 over last 10-12 years in rebates. We put most everything on there, gas, groceries, etc and it adds up. But we only have one card and pay it off every month too, so not sure about interest rates, etc. Can go to gmcard.com and see if it works for you.
Ever had a dog that "chases" cars "in the car?"
We just adopted a dog last month from the SPCA.  She's a great dog, very young but past puppyhood, spayed,  housebroken, sits, stays, everything you couuld ask for when getting a "used dog."  BUT.... We've discovered that her hobby in the car is sitting by the window until a car passes and then "chasing it."  She will take breaks and lay down and sleep for a while, but then gets back to her hobby.  When we leave her in the car, she just sleeps, so she's basically a pretty good passenger other than the chasing.  Anybody ever heard of  this before?
I have leased 2 cars and have never had a bad experience. (sm)
Presently I lease a Trailblazer. No down payment, payments of $448 a month including an additional rider I chose for wear and tear coverage. 5 year lease. I can turn it back in 18 months early if I choose to. It's a nice way to get a higher end price car for lower payments.
There you go, lets have a thread about old cars!!!
yeah.
Yes, we swapped cars. DH drives my 4 cyl his 13 mi to work and I keep
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There is also a limit. People in expensive cars
pulling up to stand in line for free money.  Doctors and lawyers, supposedly respected business owners, etc who really did not lose that much, at least not to the point where they can't recover on their own.  Help the ones who can't help themselves but the ones who can help themselves should be ashamed!
Go ahead and post stuff about your cars
but I doubt many people are interested in it, who knows, but I am sure that many many people want to talk about their animal companions, so if it does not interest you, SKIP it. That is why this is called the main board, many other boards on the left for you to get information on MTing, other than just the main board.
that's true, many new cars now offer great

I have a Toyota Corolla and my gas mileage is even better than the impressive Civic! I don't remember exactly what it is but I want to say around 38-41 MPG.


However, I would also love to eventually get away from traditional cars and more towards Hybrids or whatever else they come up with that will transition us away from oil dependency.


Car dealerships use dryer sheets in used cars.
After wiping what you can with the alcohol as suggested, put a few Bounce dryer sheets in the sealed trashbag.
So, this future generation of MT's all live in their cars?
Because don't forget - MT wages never go up, only DOWN, if any change at all. And cost of living keeps going up. What has gotten cheaper during the recession? NOTHING. What will get more expensive once the economy improves? EVERYTHING.
opps - I meant how will WE buy cars. Tired.
xx
My Rottie did that too, she sit in the back of my SUV and jump at the cars that passed or followed u
You'd hear her teeth hitting the window as she crashed into the glass. Then she'd get tired and lay down.
rich skanks dress better and have nicer cars and homes.

Good grief.. Fortunately ours is only chasing oncoming cars, so just
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I can't stand it when parents spoil their kids with brand new cars....sm

especially since a lot of times the teenager ends up wrecking it because they don't care.  Those I've seen that have taken better care of their vehicles and drove them properly were those that had some investment in a good used vehicle.  They had to work to pay for the gas and insurance at minimum.  That's what I did when I was a teenager and the only reason I got a car then was because I had an after school job and it was easier for my parents to help me get a vehicle than drive me back and forth. 


Most men can't hear the tiny tings, noises that cars make, and things like
 an alarm clock.  A doctor I used to work for did the same thing in the bathroom too.  But, I never heard a plop! Thank Goodness.
Aaahhhh, now I get it. Gross lines vs. Character lines. I guess I've just been conditioned to
think in terms of character lines.  One of the perils of working as an IC for somebody who defines what a line is versus owning your own company and defining it yourself.  After working for someone else for 15 years, maybe it's time to bust out on my own.
That is a lot of work/lines for 2 people. I do 3000 lines per day sm
if you times that by 30 days that only comes to 90K lines a month, that is working 7 days a week including weekends. I don't think 2 people can handle that.
900 lines is below 1100 lines, where the bonus starts.
x
I hate Instant Text. It is expensive, long long learning
curve, and too much distraction for me.
How long should I wait after applying for a position before I follow-up. It has been as long as two
without hearing from some.  Just wondering if I should send an e-mail to follow-up to see if they received my resume or not.  I don't want to offend anyone but feel two weeks should be long enough for someone to at least acknowledge my resume and that I have applied for a position.  Right now I would accept anything even a note saying no thanks.  Any advice would be appreciated.  I haven't had to apply for a job for the past 10 years so I am a bit rusty at this.  Thanks again for any advice. 
Gross lines include all lines containing
printable characters, so a full line and a line with one word on it are charged equally. Straight lines are basically the same as gross lines, but with this method of counting the blank lines are counted as well (again, equally). I have only had one company pay this way, and they are a middle man. I would think the charge would be about the same as for gross lines, and that not too many offices will want their lines counted this way (the one I worked on was probably inherited from someone who had counted the lines that way, so just continued).
The norm is 1 minute = 10 lines; 10 min = 100 lines - sm
granted this varies per dictator. More lines if a fast talker, less if a slow talker.
I went from 2400 lines to 1800 lines

a day when I switched from clinic (through an MTSO)  to hospital work. Not only was the clinic work easier with more macros (and less providers to learn, 12 vs 300+), but I was typing in straight Word (as opposed to Softmed/Chart Script).  So you see, it really varies depending upon the type of work as well as the platform used. That said, I am so much happier typing the 1800 lines per day (I make over $15 per hour plus an incentive for any lines in excess of 1200 per day) plus a great health package/benefits, AND approximately 5 weeks of paid time off per year.  In my opinion, hospitals really are the best employers WHEN they appreciate the work we do.


My advice for you is not to judge a job by any one criterion but rather the entire picture. The 'extra's can really add up.

Good luck in your job!


Which is the one where they are sc*&ing us the standard lines or the qualified lines? SM
Mine show up as STD when I pull up my transcription log.  But I see now there is STD/QT....  So which is the one where they are ripping us off, standard or qualified?  Need to know.  I am about to switch companies and I will not do if they are actually taking lines from me.  Thanks guys. 
Congrats! How long have you been a MLS and how long did you study for the test!

Please see message. I have three daughters with long, long hair.
I also have long hair down to my waist and my three girls have hair that long too. My daughter brought them home from school last year. I was devestated and grossed out!!!! I have never had to deal with lice. Anyway, we did the treatments and two of my girls broke out in a severe rash with the OTC stuff. Their little heads were so sore!! I thought I was being meticulous with eggs, only to find them hatching again down the road. A nurse at the pediatricians office suggested I try oil to suffocate them since my girls were allergic to the lice solution. I bought a huge bottle of veggie oil and dumped it on all three heads, plus my own. I then wrapped the heads in platic wrap and then a towel. I left this on for 30 minutes. It takes a while to wash out the oil, but we never, ever had the lice or eggs again!!! If you try this, make sure you put on an old shirt and put a towel around your shoulders. Obviously we were desperate, but we all have such long hair and very thick hair so I was willing to try anything. And I figured there was no chemicals involved so that was pretty safe. And it sure did help my littles ones since their scalps were pretty raw from the solution. Hope this helps and Good luck!
It's been a long, long time since I've used a C-phone, sm
but I do think jobs can be paused.
I had a problem with this for a long, long time sm
I have always worked days, like from 6-3. Over the last few years, it didn't matter how much sleep I got, I became real groggy between 7 and 11. Really shoots the day. Talked to my doctor and he said my blood pressure pills were the culprit but he refused to change me to another brand or dosage since I have multiple aneurysms (2 in the brain). My BP has been stable for a long time and he wants to "keep it on the low side". I tried taking them before I went to bed instead of early in the morning, but then I had headaches all day. So, I am changing to a night shift for a few months so I can sleep when those pills kick in and so far it is working pretty good. I stay mostly awake during my shift and die when I hit the bed from 6 am to 10 am, then I lay down again later in the afternoon for 2-3 hours. I still get 6-7 hours of sleep, it's just split up during the day, plus I am mostly awake now when I sit down to type. I don't have to deal with the heat in my office, either. It tends to warm up real fast in here with the south sun on the house and 2 pc's running all day, even with the air conditioner on.
Way back when, a long, long time
ago and in a galaxy far, far away, I had my own accounts also and some years cleared $75,000.  Yes it can be done, but you need to have your own accounts.  Also lots of delivery, and other duties involved.  I work for a large national now and make much less, but I got tired of accountants, having to deal with hardware problems, deadlines, driving deliveries, printing, printers, etc.  So I decided to simplify my taxes and stay home and just type.  Don't have to worry about computers either, because the company will just send me a new one. 
Long, long files. Seemed like they'd never end! I'd never go back to VA again. nm
s
I've been doing this a long, long time...

I used to make $70,000 and up a year and did so for most of the late 80s and 90s (one girl used to make six figures a year working 7 days a week!)  Because we were making more money than the supervisors and Medical Records Directors in hospitals, they began to switch to transcription services which were sprouting up all over the place.  Plus AAMT came into existence and even though in the beginning it claimed it was to fight for transcriptionists (although assured us it was NOT a union), they eventually morphed into an organization that was more management friendly.  They developed the "guidelines" and the 65-char line.  That was the beginning of the end for those high-end wages.  Then all those mickey mouse transcription schools popped up, and now outsourcing overseas.  YES, we're complaining. 


Been in this biz a long, long time, 30+ years and....sm
I love/loved MTing. However, things have changed so much during these years. The job definitely gets easier; don't have to look up much, can decipher ESLs much easier, in other words, you get pretty comfortable with things and you have confidence in yourself. The more experience you have the easier the job, but....

I actually made more money 10 years ago!! We didn't have speech recognition and you actually got paid for headers/footers, demographics, carbon copies, etc., you got paid for what you did fairly; today, I am not so sure.

You will feel burned out at times, but that passes and you find you like your job again.

Good luck to you!!